Conservative backbenchers continued to defend their right to speak about abortion, even if it makes Prime Minister Stephen Harper uncomfortable.

Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth, pictured in September 2012, said in the Commons Thursday that he found "no evidence that (the Speaker) possess such a tyrannical and anti-democratic prerogative to deny a member the right to make a statement simply because you disagree as Speaker with the content of it."

OTTAWA—Conservative backbenchers continued to defend their right to speak about topics they deem important to their constituents, specifically abortion, even if it makes Prime Minister Stephen Harper uncomfortable.

Then on Tuesday, Warawa said he was denied the chance to speak in the Commons, having been removed from the list of MPs slated to deliver a one-minute statement known as an S.O.-31, because he had been planning to speak about his motion.

The mini-revolt in the name of freedom of speech in the Conservative caucus is being led and supported by some of the MPs who voted last fall in favour of a motion by Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth to study when human life begins. The motion was seen as a veiled attempt to open the door to legislating abortion rights in Canada.

Eighty-seven Conservative MPs — including about one-third of cabinet — voted for that motion, and some have been publicly rallying around Warawa and his fight against the silencing of his planned S.O.-31, focusing their arguments on the right of an MP to speak on behalf of his constituents, rather than the issue of abortion.

“I find no evidence that you possess such a tyrannical and anti-democratic prerogative to deny a member the right to make a statement simply because you disagree as Speaker with the content of it,” Woodworth (Kitchener Centre) said in the Commons Thursday.

“If you do not, as Speaker, possess such a tyrannical, anti-democratic prerogative, then how can you delegate it to anyone else, party whip or otherwise?” Woodworth asked.

New Democrat House leader Nathan Cullen also spoke in favour of freedom of expression for individual MPs, although he first took advantage of the opportunity to decry the practice of Conservatives using S.O.-31s to score political points against their rivals, notably by repeatedly accusing the NDP of wanting to bring in a carbon tax.

Still, while Cullen expressed his disagreement with Warawa on abortion, he confirmed to reporters later Thursday he was siding with freedom of expression.

“We reserve the right and privilege to say things, even though we disagree with them,” said Cullen.

Meanwhile, Warawa lost another battle Thursday afternoon when the Commons committee on procedure and House affairs, upheld the original decision of the subcommittee to deem his motion “non-votable.”

Conservative MP Joe Preston, who chairs the committee, did not give reporters any explanation for the decision when asked Thursday.

Warawa said he was “very disappointed” and plans to either introduce a new motion or bill or appeal to the Commons, but that he has no reason to even consider leaving the Conservative caucus.